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Legislation that would require the state Supreme Court to make its selection of a new attorney general in open session could come up for review in the Senate Judiciary Committee next week, Gavel to Gavel reports. The bill (SB 1269/HB 1306) is sponsored by Rep. Mike Carter, R-Ooltewah, and Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston.

“MaKayla’s Law” (SB 2294 / HB 2058) would make it a violation for a Tennessee resident to leave a loaded firearm unattended and readily accessible to a child under 13. The measure, introduced today by Democratic lawmakers, is named after MaKayla Dyer, an 8-year-old Jefferson County girl killed in October by her 11-year-old neighbor. The juvenile, who killed Dyer with his father’s shotgun, was found guilty earlier this month of first-degree murder. The Knoxville News Sentinel summarizes the proposed violations, which range from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class C felony.

A House subcommittee today unanimously approved a bill that would reduce the punishment for those found guilty of carrying a small amount of drugs. The bill would make three or more convictions for simple possession of any drug a misdemeanor, The Tennessean reports. The bill now heads to the full House Finance, Ways and Means Committee.

The Senate passed SB2403 by Sen. Doug Overbey, R-Maryville, authorizing the Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health to implement a state-wide collaborative pharmacy agreement specific to opioid antagonist therapy. The agreement would apply to any pharmacist licensed and practicing in the state. Tennessee leads in the number of prescription painkillers per person, and saw a record number of deaths from opioid overdoses in 2014, according to The Tennessean. The companion bill will be heard on the House floor tomorrow.

Legislation from Rep. William Lamberth, R-Cottontown, permitting until July 1, 2016 the combined signatures of witnesses and those executing a self-proving affidavit to validate a testators signature moved out of the House Judiciary Committee today. The bill (HB 1472) is intended to address a situation like that addressed in the Court of Appeals case IN RE Estate of Bill Morris.

Part of Gov. Bill Haslam’s legislative package making changes to the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act in SB2553/HB2572 includes clarifying the effective date and clarifying the definition of initiating tribunal. Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville, passes the bill out of the Senate Judiciary Committee today, and Rep. Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga, passes its companion out of the House Civil Justice Committee. The bill now heads to the Senate floor and the House Calendar and Rules Committee for consideration.

Tennessee Supreme Court appointee Roger Page was sworn in last night by Justice Jeffrey Bivins in a small private ceremony following his confirmation by the General Assembly, the Nashville Post reports. Michele Wojciechowski, spokeswoman for the Administrative Office of the Courts, said a more formal swearing-in will happen at a later date. “It’s typical for judges, especially sitting judges that are appointed to a higher court, to have a quick swearing-in so that they can begin the work, which are later followed up by more ceremonial proceedings,” she said.

Despite opposition from protestors, the state Senate on Monday approved a resolution (SJR 0467) requiring Attorney General Herbert Slatery to sue the federal government over a federal refugee resettlement program. The move comes after Gov. Bill Haslam last week expressed “concerns” over the need for the measure, the Associated Press reports. Sponsor Sen. Majority Leader Mark Norris, R-Collierville, argued the state has a right to control its own money. He said the General Assembly will hire its own lawyer if Slatery declines to get involved. Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, voted against the measure, saying, "(It) is misguided and really betrays the values of who we are."

The House Civil Justice Committee today passed HB2593 by Rep. Darren Jernigan, D-Nashville. As amended, the bill extends the statue of limitations for civil actions based on an injury resulting from child sexual abuse that occurred when the person was a minor but was not discovered until after the person became an adult. The bill would extend the period to seven years from the discovery of the abuse. The bill, supported by the TBA, has also been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Senate version is sponsored by Sen. Becky Massey, R-Knoxville.

The state Senate on Monday passed a bill to nullify a local-hire rule that requires at least 40 percent of work hours on certain Nashville construction projects go to Davidson County residents. Nashville residents in August approved the measure, and the move to nullify it drew criticism from Nashville Democrat Sen. Jeff Yarbro. “I think that we should be a little more reluctant than this to go in and overturn the will of the voters,” he said. Attorney General Hebert Slateyissued an opinion in October stating that the rule violates state law. Read more from The Tennessean.

The Tennessee House and Senate in a joint session this evening unanimously confirmed Roger Page to the Tennessee Supreme Court. Page received recommendations last week from the House Judicial Confirmation Ad Hoc Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee. His confirmation in a joint session is the first under the General Assembly’s newly adopted judicial confirmation process.

The death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia could complicate the confirmation of two Tennessee attorneys nominated to federal judgeships, according to Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law. Nashville attorney Waverly Crenshaw Jr. and U.S. Attorney Edward Stanton III have both won the approval of the Senate Judiciary Committee, but have yet to be scheduled for a full Senate vote. “…I think (his death) will be another excuse that could be used by the Republicans," Tobias said, according to the The Knoxville News Sentinel. The Senate confirmed just 11 nominees in 2015; the pace is the slowest in 60 years.

Chancellor Claudia C. Bonnyman denied on Friday the state’s request to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the school districts in Hamilton and six nearby counties over the state’s Basic Education Program funding formula. However, the Nashville judge did dismiss the requested class-action status for the suit, which would have brought all 141 school systems into the lawsuit. If the school districts win the challenge, the state government may be required to spend at least half-billion dollars more each year, according to the Times Free Press.

House Speaker Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, has asked the Sexual Assault Center to work with a non-legislative panel tasked with improving the legislature’s sexual harassment investigation practices. The panel, scheduled to hold its second meeting today, was created following an investigation by The Tennessean of sexual harassment complaints against Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin.

Casemaker agrees with Fastcase: state law is not copyrightable. Fastcase filed a federal suit against Casemaker after its parent company Lawriter demanded Fastcase take down Georgia Administrative Rules and Regulations from its platform. Lawriter has a contact with the state to publish the laws, but Casemaker CEO says the company will not defend the Fastcase suit. Read more from the ABA Journal.

WSMV reports the plan to allow guns at the legislative plaza in Nashville will not move forward. The office of Speaker of the House Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, said the decision was made following a meeting with the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey. Officials said the building modification necessary to allow guns would not be “a good use of money” since they plan to move from the plaza to the Cordell Hull building by 2017.

State Sen. Todd Gardenhire filed a complaint against Gatlinburg Police Detective Rodney Burns, who is already the subject of a TBI investigation because of his statements during testimony in the Ooltewah student rape case. Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, said he based the complaint on Burns’ attitude toward the case. "I'd also filed a little complaint with the proper people in Nashville from another angle on his attitude that may go back to his superiors in Sevier County," he said. Read more WTVC.

Despite opposition from LGBT groups, the state Senate yesterday approved a bill (SB 1556) that would give state-licensed counselors and therapists the right to deny service on religious grounds. WPLN reports the proposal comes in a response to a 2014 revision to the American Counseling Association’s code of ethics, which stated counselors could not deny service based on religious objections. "We're doing nothing to prohibit or restrict the ability to get counseling from someone who is trained and willing to provide that counseling," said bill sponsor Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin. Opponents, including the Tennessee Counseling Association, argue the measure will make it harder for people in rural areas to access help.

The New York Times asserts that the recent death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia highlights the Republican-led Senate’s refusal to sign off on judicial nominees for vacancies on 12 regional federal courts of appeals. Traditionally, Senate members sign off on nominees in their home states prior to nomination by the president. The author says the move is “payback” for a 2013 decision by Democrats to alter Senate rules and eliminate the ability of lawmakers in the minority to block confirmation votes with a filibuster.

The state Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee yesterday approved $264,000 requested by Tennessee Comptroller Justin Wilson for hiring additional employees to clear the backlog of open records requests. Last month, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey said the number of pending requests is around 1,000. “I think this office provides a great form of transparency for our state government,” Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, said. Read more from The Tennessean.

Rep. Jeremy Durham is requesting that Attorney General Herbert Slatery remove himself from an ongoing investigation into sexual harassment allegations against the Franklin Republican, The Williamson Herald reports. Durham says he questions the legality of the appointed committee handing over the investigation to Slatery. The Tennessean reports Slatery has requested that Durham turn over his electronic devices, including his state-issued iPad, and personal email accounts in the investigation. Durham says he will not comply with all of Slatery’s requests until speaking with an attorney. The comments from Durham are the first following his two-week leave of absence from the legislature to seek “pastoral and professional counseling."

A confirmation vote by the joint state House and Senate is the last step needed in order for Roger Page to officially become a Tennessee Supreme Court justice. A joint session is scheduled for Monday. Page appeared before the House Judicial Confirmation Ad Hoc Committee yesterday to receive a unanimous recommendation; he went on to earn the Senate Judiciary Committee’s recommendation. The Tennessean has more details.

The House Ad Hoc Committee on Judicial Confirmation and Senate Judiciary Committee today unanimously approved Roger Page to fill a vacancy on the Tennessee Supreme Court. Page was appointed to the position by Gov. Bill Haslam, but was subject to approval by the House and Senate committees under the Conference Committee on Judicial Confirmation’s recently adopted judicial confirmation process. While speaking before the House committee, Page expressed the importance of improving the state’s indigent defense system. He also said he will recuse himself from any cases that present a conflict of interest with his wife, Davidson County Chancellor Carol McCoy.